An entertaining effect can be obtained by displaying a motion picture representing a view from a moving vehicle such as a roller coaster car, an airplane flying low over the ground, or a car racing through streets, while moving the viewers or passengers. The passengers are moved short distances vertically and are tilted, in sychronism with the motion picture, so they experience forces similar to those of a passenger in the vehicle whose view is represented by the motion picture. U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,256 by Trumbull describes an amusement ride of this type, wherein two or three rows of passengers and a motion picture screen all lie in a large enclosure supported by three largely vertical hydraulic actuators.
Only a limited number of passengers can be accommodated in the type of apparatus of the above-identified patent. This is because the apparatus is unwieldy if a large number of passengers has to be accommodated together with a corresponding large motion picture screen and projector. For example, to tilt all passengers rearwardly by a particular moderate angle to simulate acceleration, it would be necessary to raise the front of the apparatus and lower the back by a large distance, which would result in passengers at the rear experiencing larger vertical acceleration forces than those at the middle. A problem is that if the apparatus does not hold a large number of passengers, it is difficult to operate the apparatus economically. A less expensive amusement ride of the type which simulated the forces on passengers viewing a motion picture, would be of considerable value.